Don't mess with the godmother
by melissa.maier.902
Summary: AU with some canon references. Prompt by Chinadoll816: When Burt has his heart attack and everyone finds out Kurt doesn't believe in God many of the New Directions turn away from him. Poly relationship: Hummel/Puckerman/Karofsky *Co-written with Kurtofsky4eva*
1. Prologue

_**Prologue:**_

Two little brunette girls sat together playing in the sand at the park. Other children were running and playing around them, but both were content to quietly play together.

"Lizzie," five-year-old Annabella La Grace looked at her four-year-old little sister, Elizabeth. "When I'm growed up, I'm moving far away from here. Going to live in a big, big city with lots of peoples. I'm gonna have tall buildings and everybody's gonna have to do what I tell 'em cause I'm the boss."

Elizabeth smiled at her sister. "Of course you are, Bella. You'll be the bestest boss ever cause you're the bestest sister ever."

"That's true, Lizzie, that's very true." Bella looked around the playground before noticing her sister staring at a group of little boys over by a tree playing.

"What are you gonna do when you growed up, Lizz?"

"Oh! I'm gonna marry Burt Hummel cause he's the cutest boy ever. We're gonna have pretty babies, Bella, lots of pretty babies. I'm gonna be the bestest mommy ever, too." Elizabeth's bright blue eyes glowed as she watched Burt chase after the other boys in a game of tag.

"Burt Hummel! Why you gonna marry him? He's always dirty, Lizzie," Bella huffed.

"S'not dirt, Bell! He works with his daddy sometimes at their car shop. He's gonna build me a car someday, he told me." Lizzie shot her sister one of her patented 'you're stupid' looks.

"Whatever, Lizz." Bella rolled her eyes. "I guess I can come back for your wedding, if you ask me nice and all. I might even come back and see some of your babies but mostly you can just send me the pictures. I'm gonna be super busy bossing peoples around, ya know."

"Okay Bella."

_Seventeen years later…_

"Burt! Burt!" Bella yelled out as she hurried down the hall. "Where the hell is my sister, Hummel?"

"Calm down, Annabella! Elizabeth's just gone into labor early. It happens. I just came out here to wait for you so we can go back together."

"She better be fine, Hummel. I'm holding you personally responsible for the care of my sister and godchild. So help you God if anything ever happens to either one of them!"

"Bella," Burt groaned, "Do we have to do this every single time we see each other? I love Elizabeth, I'm not gonna let anything happen to her or my child."

"You just see that you keep your word on that." Bella narrowed her eyes and scrunched up her nose as she looked around the hospital waiting room. "Well? Don't just stand there being useless! Take me to my sister!"

Burt rolled his eyes before leading his sister-in-law down the hall to the maternity ward. Not even Annabella La Grace was going to overshadow his happiness today.

Several hours later, Burt gently kissed his wife and told her what a good job she did on their baby boy. They both looked over at Bella who was holding the baby by the window.

"Little boy, I'm your Auntie Bella." She stared down at the precious little face, as pretty as a flower, and smiled. "I'm going to buy you lots and lots of things to make up for the awful name your parents have given you, don't you worry."

"Bella!" Elizabeth gasped in fake astonishment. "There is nothing wrong with his name. Now bring me my son. I want to hold my pretty baby."

Bella placed her godson in his mother's arms and his eyes immediately opened wide.

"He's got your eyes, Lizzie." Burt kissed the boy's downy head softly.

"That's okay honey, everything else he got from you." She smiled down at her son. "That's right, my beautiful baby Kurt, you got your daddy's nose, didn't you?" The baby smiled or had gas – you never knew with babies.

"Alright, Elizabeth," Bella stood near her sister, fidgeting. "I'm off. Places to go, people to see. I'll be back to see you both in a month or so. You have the computer and camera equipment I sent you hooked up, right?"

"Yes, Bell." Elizabeth smiled up at her big sister fondly.

"Good. So, lots of pictures and videos of this little one. Don't forget!"

"I won't. Be careful out there."

"I'll be fine. You just take care of you and the boy here." Bella placed a kiss on her nephew's head and then on her sister's. She smirked and rolled her eyes at Burt. "I got my eye on you Hummel! Take care of my family."

"My family, too," he muttered under his breath. Burt brightened as he watched his sister-in-law leave. Turning back to Lizzie he smiled hugely, "I thought she'd never leave!"

Elizabeth laughed. "Honey, I know my sister can be… rough around the edges, but she loves us in her own way. Be nice."

_Eight years later…_

Burt waited as the phone began to ring. This was not a call he ever wanted to make and his heart was already broken. Now he had to break the heart of the only woman he actually feared in this world. He heard the line pick up.

"_Go for Bella… who is this?"_

"B-Bella… it's B-Burt," his voice broke and tears streamed down his face. "She's gone, Bell," he whispered. "She's gone… I'm all alone… me and K-Kurt, we don't… don't know what to do…" Burt sobbed.

"_I'll be there in an hour, Burt. Just-just go hold Kurt. I'll be there."_

Burt nodded his head even though she couldn't see him. When the line disconnected he put the phone down and climbed the stairs. Kurt was lying on the big bed and he turned a splotchy, damp little face to his dad as he came into the room. Burt crawled onto the bed next to his son and held him tight. The two of them cried themselves to sleep.

….

It must have been a few hours later because Burt could tell the sun had changed position in the sky. He reached for his son but Kurt was not there. He heard voices downstairs.

Managing to drag himself down to the kitchen, he stopped short when he turned the corner. Kurt was sitting on a chair eating a sandwich while Bella was heating up some soup on the stove. In that moment she looked so much like his Lizzie, he didn't realize the sobs breaking free where even coming from him.

Annabella heard the intake of breath and turned to watch Burt crumble completely. Her normal, stoic facade faltering as she reached for him before he hit the ground. Angling her body so that Kurt wouldn't see his father like this, she started to lead Burt into the living room.

"Eat your sandwich, Kurt. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Yes, Auntie Bella."

Once Bella had Burt seated on the couch, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Alright, Hummel. You're gonna have to pull yourself together, you hear me?" She waited for him to nod before she continued. "You've got a terrified little boy in the other room who needs you to get it together."

"I don't know how…" he whispered.

"Well, we'll have to figure it the hell out! I'm assuming you're moderately intelligent since you're not living in squalor, so use your damn brain." Her voice was a little harsher than she intended but she took a deep breath before saying, "That boy needs his father more than ever. You're gonna have to be his everything now, and then his champion later. Lord knows this backwards ass town isn't gonna treat him well. He needs to learn to be strong, and you're gonna have to teach him."

"I can't…" Burt whispered, despairing. He looked at Bella as if she had all the answers… and maybe she did. "I can't do this without…"

Bella cut him off quickly. "Yes you can, damn it! My sister saw something special in you since she was four years old and you are not going to prove her wrong. Now, I'll give you twenty-four hours. You go upstairs, lock the door, and exorcise your demons however you need to. But at the end of that time, you're gonna come down here and take care of your family."

Burt looked at Bella, really looked at her for the first time in forever. He could see the resemblance between her and his beloved Lizzie, but he could see the differences, too. Burt knew Bella had tremendous love for her sister and was just barely keeping it together herself, but shouldering the job of forcing him back on his feet showed strength of character he didn't know she possessed.

Burt took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed as he turned to go back upstairs.

Once in his room, he stripped down to his boxers and tee shirt before crawling under the covers. He hugged Elizabeth's pillow tight, burying his face and inhaling her scent.

"I'm gonna cry now, Lizzie, and then I'm gonna take care of our baby. I won't let you down, I promise. But… if you could help keep me from doing something stupid, ya know, I'd sure appreciate it," he said out loud to the empty room.


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1:**_

"Hey, Kurt!" Burt yelled from his office.

"Ya, dad?" Kurt rolled out from under the car he was working on.

"Got a road-side assistance call. Can you take it? Danny had to leave early."

"Sure, no problem. You wanna finish this oil change?"

"It'll keep until tomorrow. Thanks, Kurt."

Kurt hurried to wash his hands and check his hair before jumping into the tow truck. Just because he _is_ a qualified grease monkey doesn't mean he has to _look_ like one.

When Kurt pulled up to the location his father gave him and saw Azimio Adams, he groaned in frustration. The football guys had stopped harassing him when he and Noah had started dating but some, like Azimio, still made jokes and comments.

"Might as well get this over with," he lamented out loud as he hopped from the truck.

"Fancy?" Azimio looked around like someone was playing a joke on him. "What the hell?"

"Didn't you call for a tow, Azimio?" Kurt refused to look away, his bright blue eyes narrowed on the large jock.

"Ya, but I expected…" he trailed off as he caught Kurt's bitch-face slide firmly into place.

"Expected what? Someone manlier? I'll have you know I'm a certified mechanic, probably one of the best in this whole backwards ass town."

Az chuckled. "I actually know that. I was just surprised is all."

"Wait… What? You knew that? How?"

"Locker room, dude. Guys talk, I mean, not as much as you, but ya. Your bro and Puckerman are always goin' on about your mad skills."

"Oh!" Kurt was surprised, but recovered quickly. "So what's wrong?" Kurt leaned in under the hood.

"The engine light came on and I noticed the temp gauge was all the way in the red, so I pulled over. When I lifted the hood there was all this smoke."

Kurt checked a few things before dropping to the ground and shimmying under the car.

"It looks like you blew a hose and cracked the radiator. I'll have to tow you in, but if we have the parts in stock, I should have it all fixed in an hour or so."

"Cool, umm, you need some help?"

"No, I got it. Thanks, though."

Kurt placed the car on the tow-truck in no time. Az watched with what looked like, to Kurt, admiration.

"Okay, we're ready, hop in."

It wasn't far to the shop, but Kurt was unsure if Azimio was the type to chat, so he kept quiet.

"Hey, Hummel, can I ask you somethin'?"

"S-sure."

"Well, let's say a guy liked you, maybe a jock guy, would you try to change him? I mean, like make him dress all fancy and shit or start liking show tunes?"

"Umm, Azimio, is there something you're trying to tell me?" Kurt arched his eyebrow as he eyed the big jock beside him.

"What? Oh! No! No – I-I'm just, I might know someone is all, but ya, I wouldn't want them to change."

Kurt laughed. "No, I wouldn't try to change him. As much as I love a good make-over, they aren't for everyone. Besides, it doesn't really work that way. Are you talking about Noah?"

"No. Why? Is Puckerman playing for team gay as well?"

"It's not really a secret. Noah and I have been dating for a while."

"Ya, kidding… I heard about that, too."

Kurt's eyebrows climbed higher and he whipped his head toward Az at the stop sign.

"Locker room, man."

Kurt relaxed and chuckled.

"Ya, Puckerman comes into the locker room about two months ago and warned all the guys on the team. He was all, 'Princess is mine now so if you touch him I will end you'." Az laughed and shook his head.

"How did that go over?" Kurt asked.

"Pretty good actually. Ya, I'm sorry for being such a dick last year. I guess I just got it in my head that… you know what? It doesn't really matter what the fuck I thought. I was wrong. A lot of us were wrong. I just hope that since it's stopped you can like forgive me or somethin'."

"I'd like that, Azimio – forgiving you, I mean. You're not a bad guy when you're not being a jerk."

"So, if I tell you somethin' it'll stay between us, right?"

Kurt started to get nervous. "Well, I'd like to say one hundred per cent yes, but I won't lie to Noah. I love him too much so, I guess within reason."

"Na, I get that. Alright, so…" Az took a breath. "I think Dave is gay and more importantly I think he's in love with you."

Azimio's statement hung like a fog, heavy and thick, in the truck. Kurt had to pull over before he could speak.

"Are-are you sure?" Kurt was practically panting.

"Don't sound so excited, Hummel!" Az laughed. "But, ya, I'm sure."

Kurt made some kind of squeaky noise and was bouncing in his seat.

He turned to Az. "Noah and I, both, have a huge crush on him!"

"What?! Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. Not kidding. Noah sometimes, he'll tell me about Dave's… yeah, you probably don't need or want to know that…" Kurt shook his head to clear it.

"You're right! I don't, Fancy, I really don't." He made a grimacing face before shaking his own head. "Hey, I got an idea though, why don't we all go do something tonight, like bowling?"

"You think he'll go?"

"Big D loves bowling, why wouldn't he go?"

"Hmm, well, let's get this car fixed fast then."

The boys drove the rest of the way to the shop and Kurt started on the repairs right away. About half-way through, Kurt's phone rings.

"Azimio, can you please get that for me? It's Noah."

"Can do." Az picked up the phone and chuckled at the picture of Kurt and Puckerman. "Kurt Hummel's phone," he answered.

"_Who the fuck is this?"_

"Well hello, Noah," Az chuckled. "It's Azimio, dude."

"_Where's Princess?"_

"Under my car at the moment."

"_What?" _

"Cracked the radiator, dude. We're at the shop. He asked me to grab the phone."

"_Oh! Well, can you tell him to call me when he's done?"_

"He wants to know if you wanna go bowling tonight with me and Dave."

"_Sounds good to me. He still wanna do dinner first?"_

"Hold on," Az took the phone away from his ear. "Hey, Fancy, Puckerman wants to know if you wanna do dinner first?"

Kurt replied while still under the car. "Ya, tell him it's my turn to cook tonight as it's Friday. The Hudsons are coming to dinner so be at my place by 7 p.m. sharp."

Az went back to the phone, "Puck?"

"_Yo…"_

"He said 7 p.m. sharp, his place; something about Friday night dinner with the Hudsons and it's his turn to cook."

"_Does he need anything?"_

"Hold on, I'll ask." He pulled the phone away again. "He wants to know if you need anything, Fancy."

"No, I got everything. Thanks, though," Kurt chuckled to himself.

"Dude? He says it's all good."

"_Okay, I'll see you at dinner, Adams. Take care of my boy."_

Azimio hung up and put the phone in his pocket out of habit.

"What time do you wanna meet up after dinner, Fancy?"

Kurt rolled out from under the car. "No, call David. You can come home with me and he can meet us there for dinner."

"You sure? Won't your parents and Hudson be there?"

"So? What does that matter? Besides, if you want me and Noah to date David then he should get used to the family."

"True, true. Okay."

Az pulled out his phone and called Dave.

"_What's up, douche bag?" _Dave laughed as he answered.

"I got your douche bag, bitch. Get your nasty ass under some water and clean up. Meet me at Hummel's for dinner at 7 sharp. Don't be late, fucker. Oh! And we're goin' bowling afterward so bring your gear."

"_What the fuck?!"_

"You heard me, punk. I didn't stutter and your ears didn't flap. Look presentable too, ass-clown, the parentals will be in attendance."

"_Ah, Z, man, I don't know about this…"_

"D, I went to a lot of trouble to arrange this little date, don't fuck it up!"

Dave started coughing._ "Date?"_

"Ya… you, Fancy, Puckerman – plus me and possibly Hudson are gonna hang out after dinner."

"_Z…"_

"Nope. Shut it. I don't wanna hear none of yo shit. Get clean, get dressed and be on time, for fuck's sake. Oh, and Fancy's cooking."

Azimio didn't let him answer. He just hung up on him with a smirk.

"You seem proud of yourself, Azimio." Kurt was wiping off his hands before closing the hood. "All done," he smirked.

"I am pretty proud of myself actually. So how much do I owe you?"

Kurt snorted "Just take care of the parts. I'll throw in my time in thanks for getting Noah and me a date with Dave."

Az just laughed and handed over his credit card. Kurt went into the office for a moment and came back with the receipt, followed by his dad.

"Dad, this is Azimio Adams." Burt shook hands with the right tackle. "He's on the football team with Finn and Noah. Azimio and David Karofsky are joining us for dinner and then we're all going bowling."

"Sure, kid. Always room for more." Burt smiled at his son. "Is Noah joining us as well?"

"Of course! I'm gonna head out so I can clean up before cooking, okay?" Burt nodded. "Don't be late, dad, 7 sharp."

Burt laughed. "No problem, Kurt. Oh hey, before I forget again, your Aunt Bella called – she's coming to town in two weeks. She wants to meet this boy you're dating so you better give Puck a heads up warning."

"Will do, dad. See you later."

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Azimio called his mom from the car as he followed Kurt to the Hummel house. He told her he'd been invited to say for dinner, after which they'd be going bowling so he would be home late. His mom typically told him to watch his manners and he rolled his eyes as he ended the call.

He parked behind Kurt in the long driveway, making sure to leave room for Burt and Puckerman.

"We'll play musical cars after dinner," Kurt threw over his shoulder as he motioned for Az to follow him. "We can all ride in my baby."

"Sweet!" Az followed him inside. He'd never been inside before. The closest he'd got was when he and the other jocks had nailed the Hummels' patio furniture to the roof. _Fuck! I really have to apologize for that, _he thought.

The Hummel home was bigger than he expected. The living room, kitchen, formal dining room and den were on the first floor, as Kurt showed him, telling him there were also three bedrooms and two baths upstairs. The basement, where they were headed, had been turned into a studio apartment for Kurt, apparently, with its own bathroom and huge walk-in closet for the fashionista.

Kurt and Az found Finn sprawled on the couch playing Call of Duty on the massive flat screen TV and Az stared at in awe. "Sweet!"

"Hey, guys…" Finn looked up and did a double-take, surprised to see Azimio with the slimmer boy. "Umm, Kurt?"

"Relax, Finn. Azimio and David are joining us for dinner and then we were thinking of going bowling. Do you wanna join us?"

"Ummm, okay, sounds good. Rachel and Quinn are doing some girl bonding thing with Santana and Brittany tonight." Finn rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't know you were friends…" He looked from Kurt to Az and back.

"I'm turnin' over a new leaf, Hudson. Dude, don't hurt yourself." Az laughed at Finn's startled expression.

"Okay, well," Kurt smiled at them both. "I'm gonna shower and then get started cooking. Az, make yourself at home. Oh, and keep an ear out for Noah and David."

"Sure, bro," Finn's attention was already back on the game. "Puck will just let himself in anyway."

Kurt showered quickly, taking extra care to scrub all the grease off his hands and arms. He put on his lotion and deodorant before wrapping a towel around his waist and leaving the bathroom.

As he headed for his closet, Az whistled in surprise. "Damn, Fancy, who knew you were hiding all those muscles?"

Kurt smirked over one shoulder and muttered, "Noah," as he walked by.

When Kurt finally exited his wonderful walk-in closet, he was dressed in a pair of skintight black jeans and a thin, light-blue V-neck sweater. He admired himself in the full-length mirror and then went over to his dressing table.

"I'm going to start dinner; you boys need anything?" He tweaked his hair into place with a minimum of product and then raised an eyebrow enquiringly at the two boys.

"Nah, bro, we're good. Right?" Finn looked over at Az.

"Ya, Fancy, I'm good," Az replies, barely taking his eyes off of the screen. Kurt rolled his eyes and skipped up the stairs.

The chicken parmesan was almost done when Kurt started the water for the noodles. He was reaching for a salad bowl when two muscular arms closed around his waist.

Noah kissed Kurt's cheek and held him tight. "Hey, Princess, looking good." He nuzzled the long, smooth neck, sighing, "I missed you today."

Kurt turned in his arms and wrapped his own around Noah's neck. "I missed you too, baby."

The countertenor kissed Noah's lips hard and then both boys were licking into the other's mouth in no time. There was no space left between them as their bodies rubbed and hands teased, raising the temperature between them.

When they finally broke apart, Noah laughed. "I guess you did miss me." He kissed Kurt once more. "Need some help with dinner, Princess?"

"No, almost done," Kurt smiled as he eyed Noah's body in the washed-out jeans he favored and the dark blue button-down shirt with its sleeves rolled up his forearms. His boyfriend was such a hunk; sometimes he couldn't believe he'd got so lucky. He turned back to the stove, saying, "I'm gonna fix the salad and then set the table. Azimio is downstairs with Finn but David's not here yet."

"So, how did you manage to get a date with Karofsky?" Noah's amber eyes smiled down at Kurt as he admired the light flush on the elegant cheekbones.

"Az's idea, actually." Kurt chuckled. "He's certain David is gay and has a thing for me. I told Az you and I are a package deal and he seems to think David will be okay with that."

Noah growled softly. "He better be; otherwise, hands off. You're mine!" Noah punctuated the statement with a squeeze to Kurt's ass.

"I know, baby, I know," Kurt smiled as he kissed the jock again. "Why don't you go check on the boys while I finish up?"

"Alright, babe." Noah swatted Kurt on the ass as he walked away with a smirk. He couldn't remember a time before now when his hands couldn't stay away from Kurt's gorgeous frame.

At quarter 'til 7, Burt came home, followed by Carole. Ever since the two started dating, the Hudsons were constantly at the Hummel home. Kurt didn't mind, usually. He was either at Noah's or Noah was here so what were two more people. Plus, it was nice for his dad to have the companionship. Kurt figured it wouldn't be long before he asked Carole to move in. They had plenty of room. Kurt made a mental note to talk to his dad about it. They would have to get Finn a flat screen, though, because there was no way Kurt was going to have Finn crash movie date night all the time.

He was putting the salad and bread on the table when the doorbell rang. Checking his hair in the hall mirror, Kurt opened the door for Dave, struggling to keep his features merely friendly and not hungry.

"Hi, David," he said a little breathlessly as he waved David inside. The jock looked slightly uncomfortable, bordering on shy, but he smiled as he stepped into the house.

"Hey, F-Fancy," Dave stuttered as his eyes traveled up and down Kurt's body. He was too busy eyeing up the slimmer boy to see the triumphant look in Kurt's blue-green eyes.

Kurt, though, figured it was 'go big or go home' time, so as soon as he closed the door, he stepped into Dave's personal space. He wrapped his arms around Dave's neck pulling him into a hug.

"Mmm, you smell wonderful, David," Kurt purred in his ear, loving the feel as well of the larger boy's body.

Dave's arms tightened involuntarily around Kurt's waist. When Kurt stepped back he could see the shock and lust in Dave's eyes. He giggled softly.

"Dinner is almost ready. The boys are all downstairs, if you want to join them for a bit," he said huskily as the fingers of one hand stroked the soft hair at Dave's neck.

Before Dave could answer, because he was pretty speechless right now, he heard a throat being cleared.

"Karofsky, you wanna let go of my boyfriend?"

Dave's beautiful hazel eyes went wide as he realized he was still holding Kurt but, to be fair, Kurt was still holding Dave as well. Instead of letting go completely, however, Kurt reached out and pulled Noah closer into a three-person hug.

"A better idea would be for David to grab my boyfriend," Kurt said, the amusement in his voice confusing Dave further. He stared at the tanned jock and held his breath, waiting.

"Sounds good to me," Noah said as his sexy lopsided grin appeared, and he wrapped one arm around Dave and one around Kurt, while Dave half-way released Kurt to pull Noah closer.

"You do smell good, Karofsky." Puck whispered as he leaned in and ran his nose along Dave's jaw, causing a ripple to run through the stupefied jock. When he'd been invited over to dinner, he hadn't thought he would be part of the meal!

Kurt copied the movement on the other side. Dave thought he'd either died or he was dreaming again and Z was gonna be pissed at him for being late.

Just then, Azimio and Finn came upstairs, stared at the trio but before they could say anything, there was the sound of the timer going off in the kitchen. Kurt sighed disappointedly and eased away from the other two boys.

"Baby," Kurt placed his hand on Noah's shoulder. "Why don't you take David downstairs to wash up for dinner?"

"Sure, Princess."

Puck took Dave's hand and led him out of the foyer; Dave hadn't even remembered that they were still standing by the front door. In a daze as he followed Puck, he could swear Z was smirking as he passed by. Hudson, however, looked like he was going to pass out from shock.

Noah showed Dave where the bathroom was but stopped in the doorway before Dave could enter.

Puck leaned in close. "Can I?" His eyes dropped to Dave's mouth.

Dave could barely nod. The kiss was rough and sloppy with a lot of teeth and tongue; both of them wrestling for dominance after the first second of shock.

Puck's eyes were darkly dilated as he eased back to stare at Dave's shiny lips. "Mmm, Princess is gonna love kissing you," he muttered with a tiny smile.

"Fancy? Won't he be mad about this?" Dave asked quietly. For some reason, Kurt seemed to be pretty possessive. What would he think of him and Puck getting it on without him being there?

"Nah, dude, we're like a package deal or somethin'. Can you handle that?" Puck questioned.

Dave took a deep breath and sighed. "I-I'm not o-out, Puck, no one knows; not my parents or the team… I-I don't even know how you two found out." Dave swallowed hard as he looked down, anywhere but at Puck.

"Hey," Puck said softly as he cupped Dave's chin and brought his face up. "Azimio told us. That's why he set up this date tonight." He stroked Dave's cheekbone to calm him, the large hand surprisingly gentle.

Dave though, stared at him in shock. "What? You're jokin', right? Please, God, tell me you're jokin'!"

"Nope. Relax, dude, we got your back. You can be out and no one's gonna say shit because we're bad-ass that way." He smiled as he tried to get the bigger jock to relax and stop freaking out.

Just then, Kurt called down from the top of the stairs before Dave could reply. "Boys, dinner's on the table! Chop-chop!"

Puck smiled and brushed his full lips against Dave's again. "That's our cue. Come on," and he urged Dave to splash some water on his face before he dragged him upstairs and sat him between Kurt and himself.

Az sat across from Dave and kept smirking away. Dave really wanted to kick his best friend in the leg as hard as he could but he didn't want to freak out Fancy or Mrs. Hudson. Azimio could tell what D was thinking, though; he figured the guy was thinking of how to get away with kicking or punching him right about now.

"Everything looks really good, Fancy," Az said politely as he scooped noodles onto his plate when it was passed to him. Kurt smiled and nodded because, who knew that Azimio Adams had manners, right?

"Thanks, Azimio." Kurt loaded up his own plate just as much as the others.

At first Az had thought Kurt had made too much when he saw how much food was spread out, but as he watched Hudson and then Puckerman load up their plates from the multiple platters, including the huge salad bowl, he totally got it. Not to mention he and Dave could put away some hefty amounts, too.

Dave was feeling unsure so he attempted to take less when it was his turn. He was about to pass the noodles to Mr. H when Finn's mom chimed in. "David, you need to eat more than that, don't be shy," she smiled kindly at him. "Kurt always makes enough to feed an army when the boys are together."

Before he could do or say anything Kurt took the noodles from him and added more to Dave's plate before handing it to his dad. Then Puck added several pieces of chicken and lots of sauce. Even Hudson got in the act, handing him the grated cheese and telling him how good it was. All the while, Z sat there and chuckled softly.

"Hey, Big D, you want me to cut it up for you? You know, since everyone's being so helpful and all," Azimio laughed.

"Boys," was all Burt said a tad admonishingly before he started to eat his own dinner.

It was quiet for a while as everyone got into the delicious food and then everyone started talking.

"What position do you boys play?" Burt asked.

Az was too busy chewing so Dave answered. "I'm at right tackle and Z here is the weaker left side." He smirked at his friend.

"Boy, I'll give you weaker side. Don't make me kick your ass in front of your boys now."

David went still at Z's 'your boys' comment but the others just laughed. He felt Kurt's hand comfortingly on his thigh and Puck leaned into him from the other side, bumping his shoulder.

"Relax, man; this place, this house, is one of the truly safe places in this god-forsaken town. It's the one place where we don't get judged or looked at differently. It can suck out there, but when we're all together here, everything is all good." Puck rubbed Dave's arm while he spoke.

"Wait… so you're dating my brother and Karofsky?" Finn asked, ignoring the way the others frowned at him.

Noah, though, just nodded casually as he continued eating. Burt and Carole didn't even look fazed by the turn of conversation and Dave found himself swallowing hard. This was… not what he was expecting.

Finn looked at the other three boys for a moment, nodded to himself, and continued eating. Carole reached over and squeezed his hand, giving him a warm, motherly smile.

"What about college plans? David? Azimio?" Burt asked, making his way steadily through his dinner which, admittedly was more chicken and salad and less pasta. Kurt was an ever vigilant son and while it was a pain sometimes, he knew it was his love driving him.

Az chimed in, "We've been talking about Florida or Georgia since we were kids, but that's mainly 'cause of football. However, if Big D goes out for hockey instead, then maybe we'll check out Boston or New York." He smiled, "Finn, pass the chicken, please?"

"That would be awesome," Finn said as he handed Az the platter of chicken. "Kurt, Puck, Rachel and I are plannin' on going to New York. We could all still be together… or at least pretty close."

Dave felt like he was in the Twilight Zone. What the actual fuck was going on? First they say that Azimio set up this date, which is looking pretty accurate, and now Hudson's helping plan his future. The parents don't even seem to be freaked that Puck and Kurt just acknowledged him as their boyfriend.

"Kurt's Aunt Bella owns a high rise in Manhattan. She's offered the kids one of the lofts to live in while they're at college." Burt took a drink of his beer. "I'm sure there's plenty of room for two more."

Okay, that's it! Now Mr. H is getting in on it! Dave was pretty sure he was minutes, if not seconds, away from a full-blown panic attack. He pushed back his chair and bolted up. "Excuse me… bathroom," he mumbled and made a run for Kurt's _en suite_ bathroom.

Once Dave had left the room, Kurt asked, "Should one of us…?"

"I got this, Fancy." Az heaved a sigh as he looked at his food. Then he hauled himself out of the chair and after Dave.

He found his best friend pacing a hole in the floor, muttering to himself. "Dude! You couldn't have your big gay freak-out after dinner? My foods gettin' cold!"

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Dave yelled as he stared at Az. His chest was rising and falling rapidly as he tried to control his breathing.

Az on the other hand takes a deep breath and grabs Dave by the shoulders. The look in his eyes is fierce but Dave knows he's not really angry with him, just frustrated.

"Look, fucker, we've been best friends since we was five years old. You think for one second I don't know you or what the hell goes through your mind? Bullshit! I knew you wasn't into girls but I never said anything 'cause I figured you would tell me when you were ready. Then you go all crazy over Hummel freshman year. You think I didn't recognize school-yard hair-pullin' when I see it? But still I waited for you to get your shit together. When it didn't happen, I decided to give you a little push."

Dave sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face. He looked at Azimio in anguish.

Az joined his friend on the floor and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Alright, go on, get it out… and when you're done we won't speak of this moment again, ya hear?"

Between the tears and soft sobs, Dave got out, "I-I thought you would hate me… so scared… never believed… how… what am I gonna do?"

This went on for about five minutes before Dave started to calm down. "Dude, let's move out of here, to the couch or somethin'. You're killin' my legs here." He dragged Dave out of the bathroom and over to Kurt's huge leather couch, taking a seat next to him.

"First off: I could never hate you, Big D; you're my best fuckin' friend in the whole world. Do I understand everything you're feelin' or goin' through? No, but I'm willin' to try. There's no reason to be scared; we're the baddest motherfuckers at McKinley, along with Puckerman, and ain't nobody said shit to him since he started bangin' Hummel. Anybody says somethin' to you will meet my fist right quick! So, as for what you're gonna do, well, first, go wash yo damn face and then we finish dinner and go bowling. It's somethin' we all like to do and it'll take your mind off shit."

"What… about my parents?" Dave voiced his greatest fear. His dad might deal easier with the idea than his mom but she was a Bible-thumping, church twice-a-week woman, and he knew he was right to be scared of her reaction to his… eventual… coming out.

"Huh, umm, well… I gotta be honest, D-man, I think your dad is all kinds of awesome and I don't think the fact that you wanna suck dick is gonna change how much he loves you."

David face-palmed and threw himself back against the couch as Az continued. "But I don't know if your mom's gonna take the news as well. She's a religious freak and I just picture her being the type to go psycho over this. Still, it don't change shit. You want what you want, and if you want dick then that's what you want. She'll just have to get the fuck over it."

"Wow… is that your idea of a pep talk, Azimio?" Neither boy had heard Finn come down the stairs.

Az just shrugged while Dave kept hitting the back of his head against the couch.

"Dude, just go up and finish your dinner," Finn said to Az. "Kurt put your plates in the oven to stay warm. I got this." Finn shooed him up the stairs and then sat down quietly next to Dave.

Then he reached over and bopped Dave on the arm. "Hey, stop hitting your head. My mom says I'm gonna give myself a brain tumor when I do that." He chuckled but Dave didn't say a word. He sighed before starting.

"Okay, look, I know I'm not the smartest guy when it comes to certain things but there are a few things I do know; one is football and the other is people. The only thing Adams got right in his… whatever that was… was that you can't change the things you feel or the people you feel them for. There are going to be a lot of people in this world who aren't going to like you because of who you love. That's their problem, not yours. Don't take that on, man. You have to live every day for you because at the end of the day you have to face yourself in the mirror."

He sighed and leaned back against the couch, staring at the darkened flat-screen across from them.

"So what if your mom doesn't accept you being gay? Ya, it's gonna hurt, but it's not going to break you – I think you're stronger than that. At the same time, there's gonna be a lot of other people who like and love you for who you are. Your friends will stand by you, no matter what, and if some don't, then you know they weren't really your friends to begin with." He turned his head to give Dave that slight half smirk, half smile that always won over people and Dave tried to smile back.

"Puck's been my best friend since we were in pre-school, you and Azimio have been friends since kindergarten – those kinds of relationships never go away. When Puck started dating Kurt, he acted all brave and told me if I didn't like it or accept him then I could fuck off 'cause he didn't care but I could tell that was a lie. I told him the same thing I'm telling you now. His mom loves Kurt so it worked out. Your dad already knows Kurt and Burt, too, so I think you have that working for you."

"But my mom…" Dave trailed off.

"Ya, that might suck, especially if she's as bad as Az says but, Dave, you can't let her run your life. You're not responsible for her. She's the parent; it's her job to love you, no matter what. If she can't do her job, then that's on her, not you. Your job is to be the best _you_ that you can be, or at least that what my mom always tells me. That's all any of us can do."

"When did you get so smart, Hudson?" Dave smiled tentatively, the light coming back into his hazel eyes.

"I have my moments, smartass!" Finn stood up and held out a hand for Dave. "Come on, your dinner is waiting and Puck's having a hard time keeping Kurt from coming down here to look after you."

When Dave was fully on his feet, Finn pulled him in for a quick hug. Dave stiffened slightly in surprise at first and then simply relaxed. They stayed in the embrace for a minute or so while Dave got himself together, marveling that the hug didn't feel awkward at all.

"Thanks, Finn," he finally muttered as he eased away from the over tall teen. "You've been really cool about this and I know I owe you big time… not just because of right now, but 'cause I was such a dick to you last year and everything."

"Don't worry about it." Finn said as he watched Dave go into the en suite. When he finished up, he headed up the stairs saying, "But if you wanna make it up to me, you could always let me win at bowling!"

Dave grinned. "I don't think so, Hudson!"

Both boys laughed as they made their way back upstairs and to their waiting family and friends. Dave's faint embarrassment at his 'big gay freak out' faded at the thought that at least here he could just be Dave… and it would be okay.

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

Anabella La Grace stared out of the window beside her first class seat and a tiny smile curved the always-straight lips. Anyone watching her would see a wonderfully put-together façade that was maybe a tad frosty, but only her contemporaries, business associates and minions knew of the steel-trap mind hidden within.

Even her appearance lent itself to the impression of iciness. She had earned the title of The Ice Queen not merely because of her demeanor but because, for some odd reason, shortly after her sister's passing, her hair had started greying. Now, a decade later, she made no attempt to color the thick, shiny snow white hair. Coupled with her pale, creamy complexion and blue-blue eyes, she could have been a caricature of a fairy tale wicked stepmother – and to many of her rivals she was. However, she was undoubtedly fair in her dealings and although she wasn't known to be overly friendly, she was not the ogre many would have been happy to classify her.

She liked to encourage that impression though and dressed almost exclusively in black, relieved occasionally with white, ivory, silver and grey. Her stunning collection of jewelry consisted almost completely of pearl necklaces, bracelets, pins, rings and a few beautiful pieces of diamond and pearl jewelry. She did not wear any jewelry of color and she had been in the news just a couple of years before for having won the bid on the most expensive three-strand pearl necklace to be brought to auction.

She never threw her wealth around, allowing other people to do that because people liked to talk about rich people and their possessions. However, she was also a fairly generous employer and friend. Her family – Burt and Kurt, very rarely saw any of that wealth, and it wasn't for lack of trying on her part. Simply put, Burt didn't want her money and he didn't want her turning Kurt's head with it, either. She actually agreed with him – a situation that had surprised him because he thought she would have wanted to spoil the child of her only sister.

Now Bella, consummate business woman that she was, was thinking of far more pleasant things than the business world and money. She was leaving behind all that to go and visit her beloved nephew and his father in Lima, Ohio. She would much rather have had them come and visit her in New York, and she knew Kurt well enough to know he would have loved the trip but, for whatever reason, she felt she needed to come to them.

She recalled Kurt's high, excited tones when she'd spoken to him two weeks before.

"Oh, my GaGa, Aunt Bella, you're coming here?!"

She had had to move the phone slightly away and wince, but she'd laughed at his obvious delight at the news.

"Yes, child, and my eardrums can do without the piercing squeal!"

Kurt had simply laughed at her snarky response; he was the only person able to get beneath her cold exterior to the warm, surprisingly loving woman beneath. There was a reason for that, a closely guarded reason that none of her business rivals and very few of her so-called friends new about.

Kurt was the only son of her beautiful sister, a sister who had died much too soon and whose absence was still sorely missed by all three of them. Kurt, however, had grown up with a dad who, despite his bewilderment at his son's sexuality, had done everything to provide a safe, stable environment for him.

Bella actually liked Burt but she would endure hot needles beneath each fingernail before admitting that. She barked at Burt and harassed him but Burt always took it in stride; he never responded to her with anything but patience and occasional amusement. She suspected he saw right through that tough façade that she needed to maintain in the dog-eat-dog world of business, and especially finance.

Bella had been quite successful ever since she had left Lima all those years ago. As the plane banked and presumably turned in the direction of Columbus airport, the sunlight sent a shaft across her face and her mind flashbacked to the last time she'd seen Kurt smiling at her as he waved her goodbye.

The weather had been fitful that day and when she'd turned and looked out the back window of the limo, it was to see Kurt limned in pale gold as watery sunlight streamed down on him. It lit up his dark chocolate hair, a touch darker than his mother's had been, and his magnificent blue-green eyes had glowed at her. His mouth had been stretched wide as he'd yelled 'goodbye' over and over, leaping up and down, and Bella felt her eyes prickle at the memory.

That had been nearly three years ago and she regretted how much her business had taken away from the only family she had left. The size of her various bank accounts, the success of her businesses all that really did not make up for the fact that Elizabeth's boy was growing up, barely knowing her. She vowed to do better and today was the start. She was going to Lima to visit with Kurt and Burt – yes, she was actually going to stay at their house and she grinned at the horror that must have overtaken Burt when she'd told him.

Kurt had handed over the phone to his dad and Bella listened as he told him that she wanted to talk to him.

"Hello, Bella, how are you keeping?" Bella had rolled her eyes at the forced calm in Burt's voice.

"I'm always well, Burt… and you?" She could do polite, too, and they exchanged inane pleasantries for the next twenty seconds. Thank God they hadn't mentioned the weather.

"Well, Burt, as I told Kurt just now, I plan on coming to Ohio in two weeks… and I'm staying with you."

Burt had stuttered a bit and then he'd collected himself enough to say, "Oh, uh, ya, you're always welcome here, Bella!"

She'd taken a few seconds to grin to herself and then told him calmly, "I'm tired of staying in hotels and I long to spend time with the boy. This will be a nice change, eh?"

She covered her lips as she laughed to herself as Burt tried to convince her how wonderful it was that she'd be staying with them. Then he asked, "Is there anything special you want us to get in for you? I know things in Lima aren't fancy like New York, but we could look…"

"Oh, no," she genuinely didn't want them to put themselves out so she hurried to assure him of that. "No, I'm not royalty, Burt, and I eat almost anything if you remember. Lizzie was the one_" and she broke off suddenly, an unexpected pain causing her throat to close up.

When they were little, she and Lizzie had had a pact where the things the younger girl hated to eat, Bella would take off her plate. The La Grace parents never knew of this little deal and would often praise both girls for cleaning their plates. It was the girls' little secret and their mother used to wonder at the little giggles that used to engulf them as they left the dinner table in a hurry.

Now Bella thought back to how she had struggled at the end of that phone conversation with Burt to hold back the surprising tears. It had been nearly ten years since Lizzie had left them; it should be easier than this, she told herself but there was no accounting for grief. She'd be fine for months, not thinking about what had happened and then, out of the blue, she would see Lizzie's smile on a passing stranger or worse, on Kurt. As to Kurt, his beautiful eyes were the exact replica of Lizzie's and she loved him all the more for them.

As the pilot announced that they would be landing shortly and continued with his practiced spiel about the local weather conditions, traffic, etc., she pulled herself together quickly. Years of travel for mostly business had honed her ability to snap into work mode in seconds, no matter how she was feeling, and by the time the flight attendant came around, she had everything sorted. Her laptop was stowed in the overhead bin and her over-sized Louis Vuitton pocketbook was strapped in beside her. She always had her P.A. book two seats just for her as she certainly didn't need some well-meaning idiot gabbing at her during her flight.

By the time she'd made her way through the tedium of customs and the luggage area it was nearly 5 o'clock. She strode through the terminal with the porter hurrying to catch up with her with the mounds of her luggage and she headed straight towards the waiting limousine.

She was wealthy enough to have her own private jet and to travel with attendants and sycophants but she was native to Lima and didn't see the need for all the usual trappings of wealth at this time. Nevertheless, she paid for the best and always got it and now was no different. She slid into the back of the luxurious vehicle and pressed a button on her phone as she waited for everything to be stowed in the trunk of the car.

"Hello, Hummel Residence, Kurt speaking!"

Bella laughed, her heart lifting at the sound of Kurt's excited, musical voice. "Oh, come off it, you little brat! I know you recognized my number," she said snippily with an undertone of amusement.

Kurt's laughter was something she would never get tired of. It was that mix of teenage boy and sophisticated young man and she could never figure out how he managed it. She loved his voice, having heard him sing over the years and she had plans for him that she was sure he was unaware of.

"It's you! Oh, I'm sorry, Aunt Bella, I didn't recognize you for a moment there," Kurt giggled and waited as she laughed with him. "Are you here yet, in Lima?"

"Yes, brat, I'm waiting for my luggage to be thrown around in the trunk of this limo but I think we should be there in another 45 minutes or so."

"Yay!" Kurt's yell didn't surprise her because, as he often told her teasingly, she was his favorite aunt. She would always reply, "But I'm your only aunt!" when he was little, and then tickle the stuffing out of him.

Now she laughed and then told him, "Yes, yes, you only want to see what presents I brought for you. I have your number, kid!"

Kurt laughed again and she could just picture how his eyes sparkled as he did so. God, she really missed that child but she knew it was only a matter of a few months before he would be joining her in New York.

"Oh, but you're the best present of all, don't you know that yet?" Kurt's voice still bubbled with laughter but she had no doubt he meant it. He was a loving child and she couldn't wait to see how much he'd grown. He'd told her that he had grown taller but seeing the photos he emailed her wasn't same as standing with him and hugging him. She couldn't wait to get to Lima.

Now she pretended to sound thoughtful as she responded, "Oh, so you don't need the gifts, then? Okay_" only to be cut off by his horrified squeal of "Noooo!"

"'Best', I said 'best present'. That means I expect all the others too, and I know I'll love them, but you're best of all!"

They laughed a bit before he told her finally that he couldn't wait to see her and after exchanging 'love you's" she hung up. 

Sitting back in the expensive leather seats of the limo, she smiled out the window as they moved off. The smile lasted all the way to the city of her birth and if any of her business rivals could see her, they probably wouldn't have recognized the warm, loving look on her face.

…

"Finn, Noah, she's on her way!" Kurt's yell could be heard through nearly the whole house and Puck winced. Kurt had been like a hyperactive five-year-old on too much sugar and even a blowjob had not been enough to calm him down.

"Hey, Princess, what – do you want us to vamoose or something? I don't mind," he offered now, a little smile on his face as he watched the way Kurt's eyebrows were stuck high up near his hairline. His boyfriend was super-excited to have his aunt come and visit and Noah was glad for him. Kurt didn't have much family, although when Burt married Carole he would get a ready-made brother in Finn.

Kurt looked at him now as if he had spouted Klingon… or some other gibberish. "No! Why would I want you to leave? I want her to meet you, you nut!"

Puck grinned and pulled his beautiful, bratty boyfriend down onto his lap and nuzzled the soft skin of his long neck. "Mmmm, yes, I'm nuts for you, doll, you know that."

Kurt hummed in pleasure, one hand sliding flat across Noah's muscular chest. He wasn't as big as David but his pecs were quite yummy, Kurt thought. Hmmm, speaking of David, he was expecting his other boyfriend around for dinner later and he hoped the skittish jock wouldn't melt in a puddle when he met his intimidating aunt. He knew Noah could handle anything and anyone, but David was a whole different kettle of fish.

He leaned back against Noah's arm and offered up his lips – just as Finn came galumphing down the basement stairs.

"Kurt, Kurt, dude, your aunt's gonna freak out about…" and he waved his hand in the two boys' direction.

Kurt rested his head momentarily against Noah's forehead and sighed. He raised his head and looked at Finn, exasperated. "Finn, I assure you, my aunt might eat moguls for breakfast but my boyfriends will not freak her out."

Finn screeched to a halt before them, almost wringing his hands and looking at Kurt uncertainly. "Well, uh, d'you think she'll be okay with my mom… and me… and uh, Burt… and_"

"Finn, breathe, for Versace's sake!" Kurt slid from Noah's lap and stalked to within inches of Finn's face, and he grasped the taller teen's shoulders.

"Look, my aunt can be a bit of an ogre but she loves us… loves me. She won't be anything but cool about you and Carole. She knows my dad has been dating her, okay?" When Finn nodded slowly, he nodded, too. "So, relax, take a deep breath, and go upstairs and get a soda, okay?"

Finn saw his opportunity and looked at the smaller teen with hopeful eyes. "And, uh, one of those little can_ ugh, things?"

Kurt rolled his eyes but nodded. "You mean the canapés? Yes, you may have a couple, but don't touch the mushroom ones, okay?"

Finn dashed away shouting, "I won't," and made it up the stairs in record time. Kurt watched him all the way before turning back to a grinning Noah. He stalked over and resumed his place on the jock's lap and shook his head.

"I swear, Finn is nothing but a walking stomach!"

They laughed a little before Kurt decided to put their privacy to good use. He and Noah indulged in some seriously heavy petting and when Kurt had got Noah off with a very welcome hand job in gratitude for the earlier blowjob, Kurt left his panting boyfriend to get washed up and changed.

His Aunt Bella was a New York sophisticate and Kurt had always loved her sense of style. He secretly thought he got his from her but since he was a gay teenage boy, there were bound to be significant differences. As he showered quickly and washed his hair, he pondered the different outfits he'd taken out and once dried off, he went out to choose.

Puck was lounging around after having cleaned himself thoroughly with Kurt's moist towelettes and now he stared as his boyfriend strode, naked as a jaybird, out of his en suite and straight into his walk-in closet. He knew though, that his life was forfeit if he got in the way of Kurt's choosing of an outfit so he simply shifted, adjusted himself in his tight jeans and waited for Kurt to come back out.

Kurt, ignorant of the lusting going on in his bedroom, hummed happily as he chose his favorite shirt. It was by Jean-Paul Gaultier, from his most recent collection to boot, and then chose the sexy Alex Wang soft leather jeans that he'd fallen in love with on his last shopping expedition with his girl, Mercedes.

He brought the items outside, laid them on the bed and, still humming, got his underwear out of his drawer and slid into them. The fact that they were the tightest, smallest pair of boxer-briefs Noah had ever seen didn't occur to him at all. He just knew he looked up at the sudden sound of inhaled breath and got caught in the hunger in Noah's eyes. He backed up swiftly and held his hands out to the larger boy.

"Oh, no, no, Noah, back off!"

If he could have found a whip to go with his little spindly dresser chair, he would have been snapping it at the boy stalking towards him. All to no avail anyway; Noah grabbed him and devoured his lips in a kiss that had Kurt gasping for breath when he released him.

Noah cleared his throat as he hung his head. He looked up at Kurt finally and announced, "You know what, I'll go keep Finn company while you… ugh, while you…" and he seemed to forget the next words.

Kurt, fully recovered, smirked at him and turned towards the dressing table to apply his moisturizer. "Get dressed, y'mean?" His voice was loaded with amusement but Noah simply huffed and stalked away, taking the stairs two steps at a time.

Kurt's laughter followed him all the way upstairs.

…

When the limo pulled up outside of the Hummel residence, Bella La Grace sat inside for nearly a minute, just looking. She had to brace herself for she had not been here very many times after the death of her beloved sister. As she stared at the front door, her fanciful mood led her to see Lizzie stepping out the front door with baby Kurt in her arms and proud Burt standing behind her.

Bella blinked away the extra moisture and responded vaguely to the limo driver's query. Yes, yes, it was the right address, just give me a second. She sniffed once and then started to gather up her bag and laptop, which she took everywhere with her. As the limo driver held the door open for her, she pasted a brilliant smile on her face… and just in time, too.

The front door of the house was flung wide and a small tornado barreled down the driveway towards her. Oh, boy. She braced herself, fortunately passing off the laptop to the stunned driver, and held her arms wide for her nephew's precipitous arrival.

"Aunt Bella!"

Kurt didn't actually leap into her arms but it was a near thing. She laughed out loud as she wrapped her arms around the enviably slender waist and swung him around.

"Kurt, sweetheart," she cried as she hugged him, aware that she was glad her P.A. wasn't with her to see her being so emotional. She eased back a bit and demanded, "Let me look at you! Oh, you are even more gorgeous than the last time I saw you, brat!"

Kurt laughed and she held him away so she could take in the splendor of his obviously designer outfit. She gazed from his glossy dark hair down over the deep purple shirt to the tight, silver-studded leather pants and finally the pointy, tooled leather boots and she smiled.

"Child, you look as if you just stepped out of the pages of Esquire… or GQ!"

She was genuinely amazed by how stylish the boy was and she looked back up into his glowing face, her heart doing the same clenching thing as she saw Elizabeth there. She pulled him into a hug again and held him for a bit before letting go.

"Come, let's allow this gentleman to get on with his job," she said, slipping one hand down to Kurt's and turned to retrieve her laptop from the driver. He nodded graciously and stepped quickly towards the trunk of the car and opened it remotely.

She chuckled when Kurt's big eyes widened even more when he saw the tons of matching luggage. "Vuitton," he breathed in query and she nodded smugly. She loved that the boy was such a fashionista; it almost seemed as if Kurt could have been her son and she tugged him out of the way.

He turned to her with a thoughtful look and then with a little smirk and a quick peck to her cheek, told her, "Wait here," before dashing back up the driveway and into the house. Within seconds, he returned with two young men following him. Bella felt her eyes widen; when did Lima get so many good-looking boys?

"Aunt Bella, this is Finn, a friend and schoolmate," Kurt waved to the very tall, shyly smiling one, "and this is Noah, my boyfriend."

Bella turned serious eyes on this one and took in everything from the dark, nicely-fitting clothes to the strip of dark hair. When their eyes met, she saw a serious young man looking back at her. Apparently her reputation had preceded her because, as good looking – okay, hot – as this boy undoubtedly was, he wasn't trying to use any charm on her. And she could tell that the tanned boy before her was no innocent rube; there is something in the eyes of a man who knows his way around women… and boys, apparently.

He held his hand out to her and murmured politely, "Nice to meet you, Ms. La Grace," and Bella felt one eyebrow going up her forehead. She was aware that Kurt was standing beside her, trying hard not to fidget as she gave his boyfriend the onceover. Finally, she took Noah's hand firmly in hers.

"Pleasure, I'm sure," she said quietly before releasing his hand and turning to Kurt. "Not bad, kid, not bad!"

Kurt turned cherry red and blurted out, "Aunt Bella!"

The others started chuckling, she was sure Noah's was with relief, and then Kurt shook his head at her before saying, "Anyway, they can help to bring your things inside."

She nodded in appreciation and gestured to the limo driver to go ahead and distribute the luggage to her willing porters.

Kurt chattered away as he directed the foot traffic into the house and told the boys in which bedroom to deposit Bella's things. She watched him being so naturally authoritative and smiled to herself. Oh, yes, he definitely had her genes.

She followed the troupe up the stairs as the limo driver was finally let go with her thanks and a generous tip and sighed as she was able to finally put down her heavy pocketbook and the laptop. She gazed about the room and smiled happily.

Honestly, she felt so welcome in this house, it was almost as if Lizzie wanted her there, was happy she was there. She shook her head as she draped her McCartney black-on-black jacket over the armchair in the corner of the spacious bedroom and sighed. If the directors of her various companies could see her now, they'd clamor to have her examined by the best doctors around.

She let out a little chuckle as she put her hands to the back of her waist and stretched. Kurt came in just then with the final piece of her luggage and smiled understandingly.

"Tired?" He smiled at her and she noticed his eyes smartly cataloguing every item of her ensemble. "Wow, is that a McCartney? 

She chuckled again, nodding, and moving to the queen-size bed, sat and patted the space beside her. Kurt nearly skipped over to plop himself beside her, grinning and wrapping his arms around her to bury his head in her neck. He inhaled deeply and it was almost ticklish; he was the only person who ever did this and as her arm went around his waist to hold him, she sighed contentedly.

They sat there for less than a minute before he was looking at her excitedly. She knew what was coming but she headed him off by asking, "So, Noah, huh?"

A pretty blush stained his cheeks but he nodded. "Uh-huh, Noah Puckerman."

She tilted her head to study his blushing face. _Really, though, when did my boy get old enough to have a boyfriend? Oh, yes, he's already 17, Bella,_ she admonished herself, but she smiled.

"How did you meet him? He seems quite… mature," she said almost delicately and then stared as Kurt's eyes lit up further.

"Oh, he goes to my school. He's a jock, Aunt Bella!"

She nodded in understanding; she wasn't so old she didn't remember how premium jocks were in the whole high school hierarchy. She almost wished things had changed over the years but it was too much to hope that kids nowadays would be a little more sophisticated. Certainly they knew a lot about technology and all those iPhone, iPod stuff. When it came to love and sex, though, kids now seemed just as caught up in the ridiculousness as ever.

Kurt continued, though. "He's also in our Glee club and, to be honest, he used to be a bit of a bully."

The sheepish yet loving expression on his face said everything to Bella but she nudged him with her elbow playfully. "Hmmm, I smell a story there; you're going to have to fill me in one day."

Kurt giggled and hugged her happily. "Oh, there's so much to tell you. I missed you!"

They hugged and snuggled, giggling as she asked him if Noah was a good kisser and if he treated Kurt well. Kurt was treating her almost as if she was one of his girlfriends and she found she enjoyed that feeling.

"Oh, wow, can he kiss! Just as good as_" and he broke off with his eyes and mouth both rounded.

She waited for him to continue and he closed his mouth, just to open it again. "Ummm, Aunt Bella, uh, there's something else_"

Well, whatever he'd been about to tell her was lost with the sound of Burt's voice just outside the open bedroom door.

"Kurt, Bella, you up here?"

Bella could have sworn she saw a look of relief slide over her nephew's expressive face as he jumped up to call out, "In here, dad!"

Bella stood as Burt came to the door, a smile on his face. She moved forward and held her arms out to enfold him in a hug. She was not a physically affectionate person – she did the air kiss thing at the mandatory functions she attended – but Burt and Kurt were special in her life. She hugged him tightly for a brief moment and then stepped back to examine him.

"Burt Hummel, are you heavier than three years ago?"

Kurt's mouth dropped open; he'd almost forgotten how outspoken his aunt could be and he dropped his head into one hand. Surprisingly, his dad simply chuckled, patted his gut and stated, "Hey, don't knock my girlish figure, woman!"

Again, Kurt was surprised when Bella only chuckled. "Well, at least you're tall enough to carry it well. How are you?"

Burt smiled, removed his cap, rubbed his head… and blushed. Bella's mouth dropped open and she turned to give Kurt a puzzled look before turning back to Burt.

"Uhm, well, I'm, ah, seeing someone now, so … I'm good."

Bella stared at him, stared at Kurt and then turned back to Burt with a grin. "Okay, I see how it is – the Hummel men have certainly been busy!"

Kurt, mortified, muttered, "Uh, Aunt Bella!"

She laughed aloud at the twin expressions on the faces of father and son before giving them a break. "No, no, I'm happy for you… both. It's good to know your lives are pretty good," and she pulled Kurt into a hug again. It was as if she couldn't get enough of the boy.

Burt smiled as he watched them and she looked back at him, winking as she pointed at Kurt. "I met his hunky boyfriend earlier."

They both laughed as Kurt groaned and buried his head against her neck. Finally, he pulled away, stating: "Come down after you've freshened up, okay? I have some nibbles waiting for you – oh no, if Finn hasn't eaten them all! _Finn!_"

He dashed away, startling the adults and Bella looked after him with a little grin on her face. She turned to Burt though and raised one interrogative eyebrow.

"So, when am I going to meet the woman keeping your bed warm?"

Burt almost choked as her words sank in. Jesus, was this how people in New York talked? He stared at her and then shook his head resignedly. "Well, you'll actually meet her in a little while. Kurt invited her over to meet you."

"Oh," she said as she removed her expensive vintage Piaget watch and headed into the small bathroom next door. With just Burt and Kurt living there she knew she would have the bathroom to herself so she took her toiletries bag with her and as she set out the things she looked at Burt. "Well, spill!"

Burt made a tiny grunting sound but complied. "Well, I think you met her son, Finn?" At her nod, he continued. "Yeah, she's a widow; husband died when Finn was real little and she's a lovely person."

As she washed her hands and looked at herself in the mirror, she glanced back at him. "'Lovely person'? You make it sound as if she's not very pretty. What, is that the case?"

Burt rolled his eyes and stuttered out, "N-no, Carole is very pretty. In fact," he said emphatically now, "I think she's downright sexy!"

Bella burst into chuckles. "Calm down, Hummel, I was just yanking your chain. Wow, when did you lose your sense of humor?"

She dried her hands, flicked her hair in a way that anyone would recognize as being just like Kurt's mannerism and pushed past him. She loved to keep people off-balance; they never knew when she was serious and that was a lot of fun.

One of the trunks the boy had brought up was standing and it was almost the same height as her. She unlocked it now and its doors folded out, almost as if it was a portable wardrobe. She tilted her head as she wondered what she should change into and ignored Burt when he said that they didn't "dress for dinner here".

She smirked as she looked over her shoulder at the clueless man standing behind her in the bedroom doorway. "Go away, Burt, I'm sure Kurt would appreciate my 'dressing for dinner', even though you live in a cow town. The boy has my taste and style, obviously."

She laughed as he muttered, "yeah, whatever" but turned and left her to it, pulling her bedroom door closed as he went. Turning back to her clothes, she decided on an ivory cashmere sweater top and a pair of slate grey tailored slacks. Satisfied with her choice, she changed swiftly; as she finished up, she pondered switching out her pearl necklace for a simple platinum chain with a huge pearl teardrop pendant.

She examined herself, reminding herself that this was just a simply at-home dinner with family and friends, and then changed her heels for soft embroidered slip-ons. Her feet thanked her for the choice as she sighed in pleasure.

Finally ready, she turned off the bedroom light and headed downstairs to join the others. As she turned towards the large sitting room, Kurt got up and came toward her, one hand sliding around her waist as she realized there were actually two new faces for her to meet.

"Uhm, Aunt Bella, this is Carole Hudson, dad's friend and Finn's mom," and she smiled and greeted the charming, pleasantly plump woman sitting beside Burt before turning to the other person. He was a teenager but built really big, his size offset by the soft, almost shy look on a handsome face. He stood up and came over just as Kurt announced softly…

"And this is David Karofsky, my other boyfriend."

**TBC**


End file.
